Natural Treatments for Dog Heart Failure & Tracheal Coughs

July 13, 2014

Hi Sheryl,
The addition of Hawthorn, Glucosamine, and Chondroitin would be an excellent plan for your toy poodle with congestive heart disease.

According to Dr. Shawn Messonnier, in Nutritional Supplements for the Veterinary Practice, “Hawthorn has not been shown to interact negatively or cause any adverse effects when prescribed with any other cardiac medications.” He goes on to say, “Combining Hawthorn with diuretics in patients with congestive heart failure may lead to further reduction of symptoms and reduced adverse effects associated with diuretics.”

The dose for your dog, a toy poodle (about 12-13 lbs) approximately 6 kg, would be 25-300 mg/kg/day, in divided doses. Therefore, at the lowest dose, you would give, (25X6=150mg), 150 mg per day, but divide it into 50 mg THREE times daily.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin are excellent for joint support, and will not interfere with the cardiac drug Enalapril or with the diuretic, fureosemide. Make sure you give at least 300 mg one to two times daily.

You mentioned that you are also giving Slippery Elm. I use this herb for diarrhea. I am not sure why you mentioned it.

I would advise that you feed a diet that is LOW sodium, preferably a homemade diet. Dr Richard Pitcairn’s book, Natural Health for Dogs and Cats has some good recipes. This would be far superior to the commercial brands such as H/D by Hill’s.

And, I suggest adding CoEnzyme Q-10, 10-20 mg daily, is an excellent supplement to help the heart!

Lastly, NO VACCINATIONS! Find a holistic veterinarian to write an exemption form for your dog.

Another resource for vets knowledgeable in homeopathy is AVH.org.

Please keep us posted by coming back to this page and clicking the ‘click here to add your own comments’ link below.

Take care,
Dr. Carol Jean Tillman

DISCLAIMER: The above should never replace the advice of your local veterinarian, as they have the ability to evaluate your dog in person.